Sidebar Sidebar
Become a MacRumors Supporter for $50/year with no ads, ability to filter front page stories, and private forums.

Walk-through for 2nd SSD install like OEM!

D

dickchow

macrumors newbie
Original poster
Jan 13, 2009
16
0
Hi guys,

I decided to post this up to share the information focusing on put in the SSD as a secondary drive the proper factory way!

First, you need: right angle SATA cable, DC harness that will give you 2 SATA power connector, and the optical drive pressure wall that consists of that magical 2.5 mounting holes!

web.jpg


Then the disassembly begin, I am not going to re-post all those steps, you can find them ifixit and the forum here, basically:

remove ram door,
remove all rams,
use a suction cup to take out the glass,
4x T10 screws on each side of the LCD,
separate the screen from the top,
start removing the top cable connection,
then the lcd temp sensor,
the LVDS cable,
and the power cable to the LCD inverter,
then remove the IR sensor from bottom,
remove all connections from the logic board,
and slide out the logic board

Now, the differences are here,

undo 2x T10 screw on each side of airport card board

web.jpg


then remove the DC harness, 1 on the power supply and 1 on the LCD inverter, 1 from the hard drive, for the LCD inverter, unscrew 2 top screws in order to undo the clip.

web.jpg



pressure wall with the 4 holes! you are required to remove the optical drive, 4 screws on each corners

web.jpg


Install with 4 standard hard drive screws at the bottom

web.jpg


Remove 1 T10 screw from the pressure wall, then just pull it with gentle force (some adhesive on the pressure wall to the back of the computer)

web.jpg


put the screw back in the pressure wall, install optical drive, install the 2 screws from the LCD inverter...etc.

Hope this would clear those struggle with using SATA spilt and velcro/strap.

by the way, I live in Vancouver Canada and been an apple tech for couple years, PM me if you want to to the same to your mac!
 
P

PhoenixMac

macrumors 65816
Mar 7, 2010
1,009
1
Sweet write up with pics will definitely use if I get 27 i7 ATM stuck between that and bare Mac pro
 
Loramarthalas

Loramarthalas

macrumors member
Aug 7, 2010
34
6
Anyone know where you might pick up one of the pressure walls? Seems like a lot better way to install than using velcro.
 
S

supergimp

macrumors newbie
May 8, 2008
2
0
Any chance you can elaborate on sourcing the DC harness and other cables? This looks like a great option! Thanks for the writeup.
 
F

fuchsi

macrumors member
Aug 26, 2010
53
0
speaking of DC harness...
can you provide us with some source for purchase?
I haven't found anything
Besides is that a special one or just a regular DC Harness cable?

Thnks in advance
 
F

fuchsi

macrumors member
Aug 26, 2010
53
0
thanks!

helpless? Some of us are yet not familiar with those items...
isn't the point of the forums to exchange information?
 
F

fuchsi

macrumors member
Aug 26, 2010
53
0
Last edited:
richard13

richard13

macrumors 6502a
Aug 1, 2008
837
198
Odessa, FL
I'm disillusioned that the inside of this computer looks just as bad as a typical PC. I thought it was all fairies and pixie dust in there. :rolleyes:
 
S

sammyman

macrumors 6502a
Mar 21, 2005
984
52
Go much did all of the components cost? And how much did you save buying this over Apple's configuration?
 
D

dickchow

macrumors newbie
Original poster
Jan 13, 2009
16
0
the components excluding the SSD is around $80 retail..


the SSD pressure wall is holding on by 3m tape (factory) and you put your superdrive on top (part of the mounting mechanism)

you have to remove the original pressure wall with this new SSD pressure wall.
 
F

fuchsi

macrumors member
Aug 26, 2010
53
0
but is the SSD pressure wall really obligatory?
It seems to work with Velcrostraps where there's no need the re-adjust the original pressure wall

Cheers
 
JasonR

JasonR

macrumors 6502a
Nov 11, 2008
958
2
So uh does this void the factory warranty?

If I wanted to add a SSD as my boot drive and keep my 1 TB drive and optical drive, can I do that?
 
N

Nick L.

macrumors newbie
Dec 10, 2008
10
0
I just did the installation of SSD with all the official component parts.

everthing worked. but now 1 day later i discovered that my 16GB show up as 8GB!
after testing every memory slot separately - turns out Upper right memory slot now cant read any RAM (Ram is fine). When i start mac with any memory in this slot alone - the screen is black and its a double beep..
I know the slot was working before - since I tried 16GB before SSD upgrade.
So with all 4 memories it shows up as 8GB. when i remove RAM from this upper right slot - 12GB get registered from the remaining 3 slots.
Could something have been damaged during the installation?
The only "WARRANTY VOIDED IF REMOVED" sticker i saw inside - it was on logic board, but that part was not touched.
Its a new iMac, dont want to "return" it within 14 days - i'd have to return it to the original state again. And "money back" thing wouldnt work probably?
I'd rather get this iMac repaired.

Any advice?

Please spare "i told you so" comments...
 
MacHamster68

MacHamster68

macrumors 68040
Sep 17, 2009
3,251
5
have you tried to swap the ram modules around in different slots (but marked where which module came from ) as it could be as simple as one broken module rather then the slot ,

but if it is a broken ram slot you might have no choice other then bringing it to apple , if its not simple a bad solder connection,as the ram slots are part of the logicboard which might then need replacing
you might want to reverse your ssd upgrade and dont tell anybody about it ,if you want to avoid trouble like "you did void warranty due to DIY upgrade" in the apple store ,
some apple stores dont make much fuss about the diy upgrades and still repair under warranty as you didn't touch a sticker ,but other apple stores get furious about it and refuse repair under warranty and dont want to know anything about "didn't touch any parts with warranty void if removed stickers"
 
Last edited:
N

Nick L.

macrumors newbie
Dec 10, 2008
10
0
thank you, MacHamster.
I removed all modules, and tried 1 module in the failed slot - 2 beeps, black screen.
Then tried the same module in other slots, and its fine.
Tried another modules in the failed slot - same problem.

another detail i forgot to mention. something fell out of somewhere from logic board I assume. No idea what it is. Can anybody identify this? Could this thing have caused the failure of the slot?
I took the picture next to memory module so you could see the size. Perhaps I should move to another topic already.
 

Attachments

  • IMG_0653.JPG
    IMG_0653.JPG
    584.4 KB · Views: 237
MacHamster68

MacHamster68

macrumors 68040
Sep 17, 2009
3,251
5
sorry never seen that part , but it is definitely a connector of some sort , looks a bit bend , so it normally would be a bit in a better shape , and the hole in the middle looks like it was soldered to something so it might be worth a look inside to see if it might fit near the ram slot somewhere , but thats only a guess , could be something as trivial as some clamp to hold down something like a wire or cable too, but the material makes me think of a connector as clamps inside computers are usually insulated
 
W

wingzero1285

macrumors member
Aug 22, 2010
33
0
Nick L. said:
thank you, MacHamster.
I removed all modules, and tried 1 module in the failed slot - 2 beeps, black screen.
Then tried the same module in other slots, and its fine.
Tried another modules in the failed slot - same problem.

another detail i forgot to mention. something fell out of somewhere from logic board I assume. No idea what it is. Can anybody identify this? Could this thing have caused the failure of the slot?
I took the picture next to memory module so you could see the size. Perhaps I should move to another topic already.
Click to expand...

That piece is on the back or "top" (where the cpu drops into its socket) of the logic board. It resets the SMC when pushed in. Its like a small switch.
 
You must log in or register to reply here.
Register on MacRumors! This sidebar will go away, and you'll see fewer ads.
Top Bottom